The field of the invention is ventilation and the invention relates more particularly to the ventilating of rooms which have metal light or plumbing fixtures affixed to a wall. The invention is particularly applicable to installation in prison cells and rooms in mental institutions and other institutions where vandalism is a problem. Such locations have successfully used fixtures such as a lavatory fixture which is fabricated from stainless steel and which is affixed to a wall in a cell which has a pipe chase on the outside thereof so that the fixture can be serviced from the pipe chase without the necessity of entering the cell. The steps required to provide maintenance service in a prison cell are labor intensive. First, it must be understood that prison guards or security personnel are not permitted to do service or maintenance work. Furthermore, maintenance personnel are not trained or equipped to guard prisoners. Still further, tools which are required to perform maintenance are potentially capable of being used as weapons and it thus becomes necessary for the maintenance personnel to be kept separated from the prisoners. Therefore, even for a simple maintenance task it is necessary to first remove the prisoner or prisoners from the cell. Secondly, the maintenance man, accompanied by a security man enter the cell. A second security man may also be required to escort the maintenance man to the cell door. It can thus be seen that a task as ostensibly simple as changing a light bulb becomes a disruptive and labor intensive task if it must be done from within the cell. These steps are eliminated when service can be performed from the pipe chase where an unescorted service man may do the work.
Air ventilation systems have for years provided a problem for prison security. Such vents have been used as a hiding place for contraband and in some instances even as the source of an avenue of escape. Circulation of air has been provided by vents connecting the cell to the pipe chase. Then by providing either increased or decreased air pressure in the pipe chase, air is blown into or withdrawn from the cell through openings in the vent. Providing air inlet or air outlet from a source other than the pipe chase is often necessary to provide proper circulation. In most instances, a conventional air outlet grate was installed in a wall of the cell. Such grates are difficult to vandal proof. Also, if adjustment is provided for such grates, in the past this adjustment had to be accomplished from within the cell and this, in turn, has several disadvantages. First, if the adjustment required service personnel, as to balance air flow in a line of cells, the above disadvantages arose relating to labor cost. Secondly, if the adjustment can be made from the cell, it is more likely to be altered by the prisoner which can upset the air flow balance between cells on the same air supply or return line.